Cosmas Byaruhanga , the Masindi district LCV chairperson and his brother Fred Bahemuka have been dragged to court for fraudulently acquiring over 20 acres of land from one William Bitamazire a resident of Balyeijukira Village in Bwijanga Sub County Masindi district.
According to Bitamazire, the duo rented 8 acres of land in 2014 with the aim of planting sugar cane for three harvests at a fee of 5 million Uganda shillings and the contract was to expire in 2017.
Bitamazire adds that when their contract expired in 2017 the duo refused to vacate the land. He also adds that by that time he had acquired a loan worth 5 million Uganda shillings from centenary bank and he had mortgaged 16 acres part of the land he had rented out to the Cosmas Byaruhanga and his brother.
He says he cleared the loan in 2017 and there is no one demanding him at all adding that he is wondering to see his 16 acres of land and more 8 acres being bought by Cosmas Byaruhanga and his brother Fred Bahemuka.
He also accuses Byaruhanga of conniving with centenary bank to also attach other 8 acres of land which was not part of the land he rented out to Byaruhanga nor the land he mortgaged to centenary bank.
He explains that in April 2019 he sued Masindi centenary bank Masindi branch for illegally selling his land measuring 24 million at a fee of 20 million without his knowledge and yet he had no debt with them.
According to the land sale agreement seen by our reporter, Centenary sold the land with all the developments including the house mortgaged by William Bitamazire to pay the outstanding loan arrears which had accrued from the 5 million loan he had acquired from centenary bank Masindi.
But Bitamazire maintains the 8 acres of land which was included on the 16 acres he mortgaged in centenary bank was not part of it. He says that was where his house was and his gardens.
He says right now he has nowhere to sleep, he has no food and yet he has a family of over 20 people. He also explains that his 2 acres of banana plantation wwere destroyed and his residential house demolished.
He adds that through his lawyers from Luzige,Lubega Kavuma & CO Advocates dragged Cosmas Byaruhanga, his brother and centenary bank to court in March 2019 such that court could compel them return his 24 acres of land which were acquired fraudulently also pay the losses he has gone through.
Biatamizire adds that in in October last year Masindi grade 1 magistrate first referred the matter for mediation but it never materialized since Cosmas Byaruhanga and his team never turned up.
Today the case was supposed to take off at Masindi grade one’s court but it never preceded since the magistrate wasn’t around. The clerk told the two parties to come back to court on the 17th of March 2020.
When contacted the LCV chairperson Cosmas Byaruhanga explained that for is an innocent man but what he knows is that his brother bought land which was in the bank.
By Yosam Gucwaki
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
